Next Yacht Group, owner of the AB Yachts and Maiora brands, has appointed Sebastiano Fanizza as its new CEO, effective April 2 2025.
Sebastiano’s career has seen him working with many prestigious brands in the sector bringing to his new role a consolidated and multi-year expertise and a deep knowledge of the nautical industry.
Sebastiano graduated in mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic of Turin. After starting his career in the automotive sector at Iveco, he soon transferred to the marine industry.
He joined Azimut Yachts in 2005, transferring through various positions of increasing responsibility, until he become sales and service director for the EMEA and APAC regions.
In 2015, he joined Nautor Swan as commercial and business development director, restructured the sales network and led a significant growth in the boatbuilder’s order portfolio.
I am excited to work alongside a great team to re-energise two Made in Italy nautical excellences.
Sebastiano Fanizza
In 2018, he returned to the Azimut Benetti group as chief commercial officer of Benetti Yachts, making a decisive contribution to the commercial successes that have consolidated the shipyard’s position, particularly in the mega and giga yacht segment.
His appointment as CEO of Next Yacht Group is a further consolidation of the organization’s sustainable growth and performance optimisation.
“Taking the reins of Next Yacht Group is more than a new chapter in my career; it is the chance to shape the future of a company with extraordinary potential,” said Sebastiano.
“I am excited to work alongside a great team to re-energise two Made in Italy nautical excellences such as MAIORA and AB Yachts.
“The goal is to continue to innovate, combining craftsmanship and new technologies, to offer our customers a unique and increasingly personalized experience, something that truly reflects their vision of life at sea, and from this experience, we are already imagining a new way of living on board, beyond today’s conventions.”
Next Yacht Group was founded in 2021and has since seen a significant increase in its workforce (+110%), the strengthening of management and in 2024, the acquisition of new production sites.
